Master craftsman, acclaimed singer/songwriter and globe-trotting performer David Olney has released 20 albums over four decades, including six live recordings. His music has been prominently featured in ABC-TV’s Nashville and he stellar songs have been recorded by Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Del McCoury, Tim O’Brien and Steve Young, among many others.

Ugandan artist Kinobe’s March 24 Firehouse Session was his second visit to WFHB, having played a WFHB Lotus Live Session which led to his song “Abataka” being selected for WFHB’s Lotus Live Volume 1 CD. In the six years since Kinobe’s last visit he has traveled to many African countries and his music has evolved from Ugandan fusion to a more organic Pan-African acoustic sound. Kinobe was accompanied by guitarist Jaja Bashengezi, a Congolese refugee who Kinobe met in Uganda. Kinobe and his band were in town for for Lotus Blossoms, an educational outreach program of the Lotus Education & Arts Foundation.

SONGS
1. Magibobo
2. Kikwabanga
3. Rafiki

Hosted by Jim Manion
Engineered by Jim Lang & Dan Withered
Produced by Katie Moulton
Executive Producer is Jim Manion
Special thank you to Loraine Martin

Chris Wolf sits down with his guitar to play us some songs from his album, “The Wolfman” and a song inspired by one of his influences, John Prine. The stories underlying the songs vary in theme from dark to humorous to endearing.

1.) Beater with a Heater
2.) If I Was the Devil
3.) Crossroads to Nowhere
4.) My Favoritest
5.) Spotless (My Invisible Dog)
6.) When I Was a Kid

In the studio today for a new Firehouse Session is Nora Jane Struthers accompanied by Joe Overton. Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line are here from Nashville, TN playing at local venue The Bishop whilst touring their new album “Wake”. We get the chance to chat with Struthers day 2 of her next hectic three month tour schedule across the USA. Struthers chats to us about her new autobiographical writing style, inspired by love and what was involved with getting this album ready and out on the road.

Irish singer-songwriter and bandleader Glen Hansard stopped by for a very special Firehouse Session before a sold-out show at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. He is best-known for his work with The Frames and the Swell Season, as well as his lead role in the musical film Once, which won the Oscar for Best Original Song. Next month, Hansard releases a tribute EP for late Bloomington musician Jason Molina, and he spoke emotionally about his friendship with Molina and performed the Songs:Ohia song “Hold On, Magnolia.”

Riley Baugus and Dirk Powell have been crossing musical paths since their teenage years. 30 years later they have officially teamed up as a duo, which brought them to Bloomington as part of the Lotus Blossoms series. They have just released their first duo album. “Tomorrow Morn”. On their visit to WFHB, they played old-time fiddle/banjo tunes, a Dock Boggs song, and a little Louisiana swamp blues.

The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band had the whole WFHB building shaking with their foot stomping country blues rave up. Playing three songs off their brand new album “So Delicious” they took us from the happy (Pot Roast and Kisses) to the angry (Scream At the Night) to the boastful and blistering (Front Porch Trained). These Brown County ambassadors of hot licks and ear to ear smiles gave us the perfect primer not only for the new album, but also the six month long world tour they’re about to embark on.